Parenting Class Offered to Parents of Children in PCHAS' Care

 



Staff members of the Group Homes on our Itasca and Waxahachie campuses held a parenting education class in November for parents of children who live in the Group Homes. Phyllis Carlson, Assistant Group Home Supervisor on the Waxahachie campus, and I facilitated the class. The class drew from “The Connection, Where Hearts Meet,” a series of lessons based on the book, The Connected Child, by Dr. Karen Purvis, a well-known Texas Christian University-trained scholar who pioneered Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), which helps children suffering from the effects of trauma, abuse and/or neglect. Each parent was given a copy of the books, and they watched videos featuring Dr. Purvis throughout the day.

The more the parents know about TBRI the better, as it guides of all of our work with the children. By partnering with their parents, our children will experience the same philosophy of care whether they are at home or on our campus. This will create a continuum of treatment that we could not provide without the parents’ involvement.

The parents were also given a guide that includes suggested readings from the book, along with activities to help make the information more meaningful and scripture to support each principle. In addition to learning from Phyllis and me, the parents formed a bond of support for one another. The support that the parents gave to each other was the most valuable part of the day. One thing we all learned: we can do so much more together to help our children than any of us can do standing alone. We are thankful for the parents who shared their day with us. In the spring, another day will be set aside to continue our training and deepen the bonds that were formed.

By Mollie Moore, Assistant Group Home Supervisor